Mason sat silently, watching Ethan peel an orange for the girl beside him. He had been outplayed—clearly. But despite everything that had happened, he still couldn't figure out who this girl was.
As he was lost in thought, something suddenly clicked.
Lia. That's what Ethan had called her. But…?
Still filled with doubt, Mason turned to look at the girl. There was something familiar about her. Her face, the name Ethan used... when he pieced it all together, a sudden realization dawned.
As if struck by lightning, Mason's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Ethan. His expression hardened into pure rage. His hand curled into a fist, knuckles turning white, and before anyone could react—he stood up and launched a punch at Ethan.
Zara, who had been quietly eating the orange slices, noticed the sudden movement but didn't interfere. She knew these two well. Ethan, sensing the attack just in time, raised his hand and caught Mason's fist.
David and Carter, who were standing nearby, were stunned by the outburst. Never before had they seen Mr. Edward show such audacity—trying to strike their boss. As they looked closer, they were even more shocked to see Mason's face contorted in fury.
Ethan held his friend's fist, eyes narrowing coldly as he stared at Mason with confusion and a silent question.
But Mason, unshaken by the cold gaze that once intimidated him, only grew angrier. He met Ethan's eyes with a burning fury.
Even Zara, who had been disinterested in the outburst, now looked puzzled. In all their years of knowing each other, even during childhood, she had never seen Mason this angry.
Without a word, Mason tore his hand from Ethan's grip and, in a fit of rage, flipped the tea table in front of him. Sensing the movement, Ethan swiftly kicked back the bench they had been sitting on and stepped away with Zara, instinctively placing himself between her and the chaos.
David and Carter, still in shock, stood frozen—unsure of what to do. But when Ethan shot them a look, they understood immediately and rushed forward to restrain Mason.
But Mason wasn't someone to be taken lightly. Having trained in martial arts himself, he was more than capable of holding his own. David and Carter were stunned by the sudden display of strength he unleashed.
Watching the raw fury emanating from Mr. Edward, they couldn't help but recall how, just moments ago, this same man had appeared desperate—pleading with their boss. They had thought Mason was all bark and no bite, someone who postured but wouldn't go too far with their boss. But now, witnessing his true rage, they were at a loss.
As they looked toward Ethan for direction, he met their eyes and gave a subtle gesture—stand down.
Fuming, Mason shouted, "I didn't expect this from you, Ethan. You really stooped so low. Do you think everyone would support you if they knew the truth? That's not going to happen!"
He took a sharp breath and continued, "We all hoped you'd move on from the past one day. But I never imagined this is how you'd do it. You've truly let us down, Ethan."
Ethan and Zara were speechless, neither understanding what Mason was accusing them of. Ethan's voice remained cold, "Speak clearly. Or get out."
Though Ethan could handle a lot, Mason flipping the table—nearly injuring Zara, who was sitting at the edge—was crossing the line.
Zara, still calm but confused, stepped forward and stood beside Ethan.
The sight of Zara by Ethan's side only enraged Mason further. With a sudden burst of strength, he broke free again, pushing Carter and David aside.
Pointing a furious finger at Zara, Mason turned to Ethan and yelled, "I thought you had moved on when I saw that girl at the hotel yesterday. But now, seeing this... you've truly outdone yourself."
Ethan frowned, still confused.
Reading the confusion on Ethan's face, Mason growled, "You called this girl Lia and got together with her just because she resembles our Lia?! I didn't expect this from you, Ethan. Did you really think that just because she looked like her, she was her?! That she could take her place?!"
His voice was thick with betrayal and disbelief. He looked at Ethan, then at Zara, shaking with fury.
Ethan and Zara finally understood what Mason had misunderstood. They turned to each other and smiled slightly—acknowledging Mason's pain, but also the absurdity of his assumption.
Mason, already boiling with anger, exploded at the sight of their shared smile. He charged forward, ready to punch again.
Ethan shifted sideways, letting the punch graze past his cheek. In one fluid motion, he caught Mason's wrist, stepped in close, and gently twisted his arm behind his back—just high enough to restrain him.
"You're misunderstanding, Mason," Ethan said calmly, releasing his grip.
"I see clearly, Ethan," Mason snapped coldly.
He charged again, this time aiming low—a feint. Ethan didn't fall for it. He stepped back, redirected Mason's wrist, and spun him around until Mason's back faced him. One hand rested lightly between Mason's shoulder blades—not aggressive, just firm.
Zara, now fully aware of the misunderstanding, stood quietly, watching the two men. Her lips curved upward slightly in a small, nostalgic smile as she remembered the childhood days she had missed for so long.
David and Carter, still unsure whether to intervene, rushed to Zara.
"Miss, should we stop them?" Carter asked urgently, worry in his voice.
"Yes, Miss. This is the first time we've seen Mr. Edward so furious," David added.
Zara continued watching the two men without turning. "Do you think your boss can be taken down so easily?"
"No!" both men answered immediately.
"Have you ever seen your boss holding back like this in a fight?"
"No," they replied again, shaking their heads.
Finally turning to them, Zara said, "Then watch the show while you can. You won't get opportunities like this often."
David and Carter were stunned. They had expected Miss Luna—Zara—to either command them to stop the fight or intervene herself. Never did they imagine she'd tell them to sit back and enjoy the show.